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Greece clinches World Cup berth after topping Romania in playoff

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BUCHAREST, Romania — Greece reached its second straight World Cup and third overall, beating Romania on 4-2 aggregate with a 1-1 draw Tuesday night.

Kostas Mitroglou, who scored twice last Friday at Piraeus, gave Greece the lead in the 23rd minute. He beat an offside trap to control a cross from Giorgos Karagounis and steered the ball past goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu.

Romania tied the score in the 55th minute when a botched Greek clearance led to an own goal by Vassilis Torosidis.

Ahead of the match, police detained 62 people for alleged possession of flares and provocative banners. Riot police spokesman Georgian Enache said the unidentified people were planning to take the banners and flares into National Arena.

Enache said police made the discovery in a vacant factory near the stadium about an hour before kickoff.

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